| Abstract | In recent years, cannabinoid-based hemp products, especially cannabidiol (CBD), have rapidly come to mainstream prominence due to their myriad associated health benefits and bold therapeutic claims. CBD products have proliferated across North American, European, and Asian markets, but research and regulations are still catching up to the hype. Despite the promise of CBD as a therapeutic agent, the legal hemp-derived CBD industry is plagued by quality issues, including high potential for contamination by heavy metals, pesticides, and molds, widespread mislabeling practices, the lack of harmonized quality regulations, and the absence of a common consensus of what makes for a quality CBD product in the first place.
This thesis aims to make a contribution to the gap in research on CBD quality by better understanding the role of quality management in the production of hemp-derived CBD products. To do so, this thesis will use primary research in the form of a case study of a prominent Croatian hemp-derived CBD product manufacturer, Ilesol Pharmaceuticals. Data collection was conducted using an in-depth questionnaire covering quality management implementation, quality practices, benefits, production processes, and more. Findings from this research establish Ilesol Pharmaceuticals as an “above-and-beyond” CBD producer—the only one of its kind in Croatia. |
